Quick Bites: May 30, 2012: Esquire spotlights 515 mixologist

Santa Cruz mixologist Addison Kester, until recently the manager at 515 Kitchen and Cocktails, scored a feature last week on Esquire.com. The men's magazine has a random sampler of thoughts from Kester on its Eat Like a Man blog, where the 25-year-old chats about everything from his real name -- it's a mouthful -- to his surprising choice of sing-along songs.

A native of Santa Cruz who lived across from 515, Kester served his final local cocktails last week. He took a job managing the gastropub Monk's Kettle in San Francisco.

Esquire was put in touch with Kester through the efforts of the Santa Cruz County Conference &amp; Visitors Council.

The neon sign still says Yogurt Delite -- for now -- but the new frozen yogurt shop on Santa Cruz's Westside is Leyla World Yogurt, open since May 5. The shop at 1306 Mission St. gets its name from the owner's grandmother and stepdaughter, both named Leyla.

Owner Patricia Vazquez, who could not be reached to comment, pleaded no contest earlier this month to 12 misdemeanor counts of operating a business without a seller's permit, in violation of state taxation codes. It is unclear whether the La Esperanza closure is related to the charges.

The Mexican grocery store and taco bar has two other Santa Cruz locations, at 341 Ocean St. and 21400 E. Cliff Drive, also owned by Vazquez and still open.

June 8 is finalday for Miller's

Miller's Sandwich and Ice Cream Shop will go out of business June 8, the same day nearby Watsonville High School breaks for summer.

The gumball-colored shop opened in 2007, when Dennis Miller bought the commercial space at Center and Car streets and went into business with his daughters.

In September, the Watsonville City Council honored Miller for offering healthy menu options at student-friendly prices, like the $5 avocado veggie wrap.

Deli hours until June 8 are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Parties can contact Dennis Miller at 761-3663 for information on purchasing the property.

Downtown market fetes strawberries

The Foodshed Project at the downtown Santa Cruz Farmers Market kicks off in a week with Strawberry Bonanza, a fete for the fruit featuring farmers and food artisans telling the tale of its local history.

Festivities run 3-5 p.m. Wednesday. Companion Bakeshop will be first up with a shortcake demo at 3 p.m., followed by storytelling from Swanton Berry Farm staff at 3:50 p.m. A strawberry hunt is planned for 3:50 p.m. Market-goers can also look forward to music, face-painting, and a bicycle-powered blender.

The bonanza is the inaugural event in a summer/fall series called the Foodshed Project, a program of the Santa Cruz Community Farmers Markets funded in part by a grant from the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. Visit www.sccfm.org or call 454-0566. The market is at Cedar and Lincoln streets.

Let's Cook cuts into knife skills

Soquel-based Let's Cook, a recreational cooking school, is offering a knife skills class 6:30-9:30 p.m. June 7 at which students can practice on sacrificial seasonal veggies. Chef Eric Carter will demonstrate how to set up a workstation and choose the right knife for the job; how to julienne, dice, slice and mince; and how to hone and sharpen the blade with safety in mind.

Cost is $65. Students can bring their own chef knives or use the school's. Let's Cook is at 2880 Research Park Drive. Call 419-2747 or visit www.letscooksantacruz.com.

Cocktails coming to Love Apple

Manresa's wine and beverage director Jeff Bareilles returns to Love Apple Farms on Tuesday evening for a seasonal cocktails class. From shaking to stirring, measuring to muddling, Bareilles will show how to prepare base infusions with garden-fresh ingredients -- the Santa Cruz farm is the kitchen garden for the Michelin two-starred restaurant in Los Gatos -- and the process of building drinks around them.

New Leaf Community Markets is now offering free beer and wine tastings 4-6 p.m. Fridays at the Westside Santa Cruz store.

This week, Classic Artisan Wines proprietor Darlene de la Cerna will be offering tastings and suggesting food pairings for a pair of Spanish wines: Ayles Garnacha, a fruit-filled mix with a peppery spice; and Arregi Getariako Txakolina, a slightly sparkling, very dry, fresh-tasting white produced in the Basque Country.

The Bargetto Family this week will celebrate their 80th harvest in Soquel by unveiling a new La Vita label. A release party is set for 3-5 p.m. Sunday on the winery's courtyard overlooking Soquel Creek.

The 2008 La Vita is a blend of Santa Cruz Mountains varietals grown in the Regan Estate Vineyards. The $60 wine is produced from a blend Dolcetto, Refosco and Nebbiolo grapes and aged for two and a half years in oak barrels, then aged for an additional year in the bottle prior to release.

The label this year honors Michelangelo Buonrotti [1475-1564] for his marble sculpture of Bacchus.

Tickets are $20 each, $15 for wine-club members. A portion of proceeds will benefit Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Bargetto Winery is at 3535 N. Main St. Call 475-2258 or visit www.bargetto.com.

Kraut class coming to Aptos market

The monthly preservation workshop series at the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College picks up again 10 a.m. Saturday with a class on homemade sauerkraut. Staff from Ben Lomond-based Mountain Feed and Farm Supply will wax poetic about sauerkraut's superfood powers -- it's more than a condiment, they say -- and demonstrate how to prepare different flavors from scratch.

Class starts at 10 a.m. at the lower level of the market. There is no charge to attend, but organizers ask students stay for the duration of the class. The Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College is at 6500 Soquel Drive. Visit www.montereybayfarmers.org.

Gabriella to host Literary Salon

The Literary Salon returns to Gabriella Cafe on Tuesday with Peter Kenez, a Holocaust survivor and UC Santa Cruz professor.

The brainchild of owner Paul Cocking, Gabriella's Literary Salon is meant to spark intelligent discussion the first Tuesday of the month. Dinner with the speaker begins at 8 p.m.; readings and discussion start an hour later over desserts and beverages.

Quick Bites, your weekly helping of Santa Cruz County restaurant and food news, is compiled by local food writer Laura Copeland. Contact her at sentinelfood@gmail.com.

Food, drink and art: Santa Cruz eateries support First Friday

The Barrel Room at Vine Hill Winery will offer a select menu from Kelly's Bakery from 5-9 p.m. to art-walkers perusing local photographer Elise Mahoney's works. Wines by the glass will go for $7-$11. Vine Hill is at 402 Ingalls St.

Vinocruz at 725 Front St. will have works on display from Ea Eckerman, the local surfer-artist from the North Shore of Oahu who specializes in painted surfboards and sculptures.

True Olive Connection at 106 Lincoln St. will have works from Karen Banuelos, who retired from her criminal justice career in 2004 and now pursues fine-art photography.

Capitiola's Pelican Ranch Winery will have ceramics from Manny Magallón of Groundhog Pottery, mixed-media works from Harriet Helfircht of Acrylic &amp; Clay Studio, and a tasting flight of wines from Santa Cruz Mountain grapes. Pelican Ranch is at 102 Kennedy Drive.

Le Cigare Volant at Bonny Doon Vineyards will have snacks, small plates and wine by the glass from 5:30-7 p.m. to celebrate the painter Samuel Carr-Prindle. Le Cigare is in the Swift Street Courtyard at 328 Ingalls St.

Hula's at 221 Cathcart St. will stick to its beach theme with works from Kris Fletcher, a self-taught artist whose decorative surfboards and paintings are influenced by the Central Coast.